Process for purifying sewage and other liquids.



L. LINDEN.

PROCESS FOR PURI FY ING SEWAGE AND OTHER LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILED mm:29, 1914. RENEWED MAY 21; 1915.

1,16%918. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

LUCIEN LINDEN; 0F BRUSSELS,

BELGIUM, .ASSIGNOR 'rowILLIAM s'rnwnia'r, or BELFAST, IRELAND.

PROCESS FOR PURIFYING SEWAGE AND OTHER LIQUIDS.

Original application filed January 30, 1914, Serial No. 815,487. Dividedand this application filed .Tune za,

' 1914, Serial No. 847,917. Renewed May 27, 1915. Serial No. 30,862.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUoruN LINDEN, a subject of the King of Belgium, andresiding at Brussels, Belgium, have invented a new and useful Processfor Purifying Sewage and other Liquids, of which the follow ing is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved process for purifying sewage or'other liquids by decanting, and filtration through the materialdeposited, the material being prevented from being drawn away by thepurified liquid.

The invention described and claimed herein constitutes matter dividedfrom my 00-, pending application for Letters Patent in the UnitedStates, Serial No. 815,487, filed January30, 1914.

The improved process is characterized by the fact that the continuouslyflowing sewage or other liquid to be purified is decanted a first timeso that the residues deposited form subsequently a filtering bed throughwhich the liquid to be purified is caused to pass and which retains thesolid. substances in suspension. in said liquid, which after leaving thefilter forms within the liquid mass contained in the tank, a currentwhose velocity decreases toward the exit of the tank .so as to'preventmud from being'drawn away by theliquid' toward the exit.

This improved process is carried into practice in an oblong tank or thelike, the bottomof which has its general plane raised gradually towardthe exit.- According to this invention, the purifying tank ischaracterized by the fact that the bottom thereof is formed by a seriesof pockets, the depth of which decreases gradually toward the exit ofthe tank, impure water or sewage being admitted above the bottom of thefirst pocket, into which aredeposited the thickest particles ofimpurities, through which the water flows subsequently, the waterflowing downwardly and around the lower edge ofa vertical partitioniiito the second pocket,

from which it is discharged into the liquid mass contained in the tank,wherein it forms a current which is slightly inclined upwardly towardthe exit of-the tank and whose speed is decreased graduallybecause saidcurrent passes through gradually in creasing openings provided inertical pa Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov; 16,1915.

titions arranged to separate the dilferent.

pocketsv from each other, for the purpose of causing the materials insuspension which becomes gradually lighter to be deposited in thesucceeding pockets before the water reaches the exit of the tank, andfor the purpose of preventing any filtering material from being drawnaway by the flow of water.

One form of construction of my improved purifying tank is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection through the complete tank, Figs. 2 and 3 show detailshereinafter referred to.

The bottom of the tank which is preferably of oblong form, is slightlyinclined up- .wardly toward the exit A of the tank and formed of aseries of funnel-shaped pockets, 1, 2, 3, 4, .5, 6, the depth of whichis gradually decreasedtoward the exit. The bottom 1 of the first andsecond pockets 1, 2, which about 50% of its water of liquid. Thecylindrical extension 7 of the second collector may be provided with avalve or the like 9, through which the mud collected in said pocket maybe discharged directly, say into a wheeled car, running on a track belowthe tank. Inorder to facilitate the discharge of mud from'said collector2, if the mud forms;

a compact lump in the extension 7, I provide vertically above the lattera tubular guide 11, within which a rod 12, the lower end of which isprovided with a suitable head 13, may be reciprocated vertically inorder to crush the lump of mud and force the same. outwardly through thedischarge pipe.

In to the first collector 1 is dipped 'a more or-'less conical bellsha'ped hood'14, theupper tubular end of which is connected to the waterinlet pipe 15. Arranged in the vertical center' of said head is avertical p1pe 16, through which suitable sterilizing substances may beintroduced and uniformly residues and avoid the decaythereof.

The collectors 1, 2 are separated from each other by a partition 17,extending from the bottom upwardly to a certain height, while thecollectors 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are separated from each other by verticalpartitions 18, extending from the common wall between two adjacentcollectors upwardly to the upper rim of the tank. Arranged in saidpartitions are openings 19, the area of which is gradually increasedtoward the exit and the centers of which are located on a straight line,which is slightly inclined upwardly toward the exit A.

The collector 2 is divided into two unequal communicating compartmentsby a vertical partition 20, which forces the water discharged from thecollector. 1 to pass downwardly across the bottom of the collector 2,

that is through the mud deposited upon said bottom. Each of thefollowing collectors has a vertical partition 21, serving to lead theparticles of mud descending in said collectors toward the bottom of thelatter and to avoid any whirling of the liquid in these collectors.Arranged in front of the exit A is another partition 22 serving to avoidany movement of the upper liquid layers in the last collector 6. I

The collector 2 is connected on one hand by means of an outer valvedpipe 23 to the collector l, and on the other hand b means of a similarpipe 24 to the collector 3.

Through these two pipes a portion of the;

follows :The impure water or sewage fed through the pipe 15, flows.downwardly through the hood 14 toward the bottom of the collector 1where "the heaviest materials are deposited, whereupon the water flowsupwardly all around the hood through the mud deposited in order tobecoarsely filtered. Now the water is discharged into the collector 2,wherein it is forced by the partition 20 to flow toward and across thebottom, upon which lighter particles of mud.

will .be deposited, said particles 'of mud forming a filtering bed aftera certain lapse of time, through which the subsequently admitted ,wateris forced to pass in order to be filtered a secondti'me. 'Owing to thefact that the width of the two compartments formed in the collector 2 bythe partition 20 becomes gradually unequal,- the water will bedischarged from the collector at much lower speed, so that the greatestpart of its mud will be deposited into this collector and into thefollowin which is now puri ed to a more or less great extent flowsthrough the openings 19 of the different partitions 18 and successivelyabove the difl'erent collectors 3, 4:, 5, 6, into which "the remainingparticles of mud will be deposited. The current of liquid formed withinthe liquid mass owing to the arrangement of the partitions 18 extendingupwardly to the upper rim of the tank flows toward the exit A atgradually decreasing speed, because the area of the openings 19 isgradually increased toward said exit. Owing'to this particular feature,the particles of mud in suspension which become gradually lighter, willbe enabled to be slowly lowered into the collectors 3, 4, 5, 6, as soonas they ,meet with the partitions 21 of said collectors, and alsobecause the liquid is nearly immovable in said collectors. 4

The filtering bed of the collector 2may be increased by the opening ofthe valves provided in the connecting pipes 23, 24, or by introducingsuitable materials into said collector capable of forming a filter bedwith collector 3. The water the residue and retaining the lightmaterials in suspension.

The mud deposited in the collectors 1, 2, may be sterilized continuouslyor intermittently by means of suitable sterilizing substances introducedinto each collector through vertical pipes such as 16, in order to avoiddecay in said mud. v

The same pipe 16 or another similar pipe mav be utilized for introducingcarbonic acid into the mass of mud contained in the tank, if lime,lime-water or lime-milk as a precipitatingmeans has been added to andthoroughly mixed with the impure water prior to its admission. into thehood 14:.

hen the water enters the tank, the precipitation will be complete andthe carbonic acid gas introduced as described will transform the limeinto carbonate of lime or chalk.

The chalk mixed with the filtering mud in the collector 1 and also ifnecessary in the following collectors 2, 3 forms a perfect filtering bedwith the residual mud,

,said filtering bed retaining the materials in suspension in a perfectmanner, rendering the filtering bed more compact and'preventing the samefrom being drawn away by the flowing water. v

The carbonic acid gas-introduced exclu sively and directly into thebottom part of vthe tank, fulfils-an, active functionin this part justat the moment whenithe chalk becomes useful for the formation of thefiltering bed. The carbonic acid gas must be introduced under pressurethrough the pipe 16, a

so that said gas must find its way through' the entire mass of mud. Themud deposited will be discharged through the pipes 8 as required, whilethe excess of filteringmaterial may be removed from the collector 2 bymeans of the-device 12, 13. I

The water may be further purified and any particle of mud may beretained by causing the current to flow through a filtering fabric ofcotton or the like, arranged and cleaned in the following way :-As shownin Figs. 2 and 3, an endless band of linen or the like 27 extends aroundeach partition 18 and'over rollers 28, so that thecur rent 25. is causedto flow through both leads of the band. Arranged at the lower end of Ythe pocket formed by the endless band is a 'tray .29 terminating into apipe extending outwardly and provided with a valve for emptying saidtray. Brushes, in contact with the upper part of the band, remove theimpurities deposited upon said band. These. impurities are partlyremoved by the flow-V ing water. In fact the surface of the band uponwhich the impurities have been deters Patent is posited is preferablymoved upwardly through the next collector and the impurities aredeposited into the latter after being loosened by the water flowingthrough the band.

The filtering band may be sterilized either a by chemicals or by boilingwater contained 30' the transverse trays '26 and the collecting trayconnected to the latter, so that the water contained in the tank will bedeprived from any superficial impurity, the greasy substances being atthe same timerecovered without expense. The' exit A 1. being then openedagain, the level of liquid will be lowered below the transverse trays 26and the operation already described will-be continued. The removal ofgreasy substancesmay be repeated according to the requirements.

The number of collectors l, 2', 3 may be increased or decreased asrequired or. de-

sired without departing from the scopeof my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Let- 1; An improved process of purifying water, sewage and any ,otherliquid, which consists in first decanting the continuously flowingimpure water, collecting the residues separated from the water andforming a filtering bed of the same, causing the impure water to passthrough the latter and to be discharged from the same at low speed,

then causing the filtered water to form in.

the mass of water a current flowing at a gradually decreasing speedtoenable light materials suspension to be separated by gravity, andpreventing the separated resi-, dues from being drawn away by theflowing water, substantially asset forth.

2. An improved process of purifiying' water, sewage and any otherliquid, which flowing impure water, collecting the residues separatedfrom'the. water and forming a filtering bed of the same, and causing theimpure water to pass through the latter and to be discharged from thesame.

3. An improved process of purifying water, sewage and any other liquid,which consists in first decanting the continuously flowing impure water,collecting the residues separated from the water, then causing the waterto form in the mass of water a current flowing at a gradually decreasingspeed to enable light materials in suspension to be separated bygravity, and preventing the separated residues from being drawn away bythe flowing-water.

4;. An improved process of purifying water, sewage'and any other liquid,which consists in first decanting the continuously flowing impure Water,collecting the residues separated from the water and forming a filteringbed of the same, causing the impure water to pass through the latter andto be discharged from the same at low speed,

consists in first decanting the continuously then causing the filteredwater to form in Y the mass of water a current flowing at a graduallydecreasing speed to enable light materials insuspension to be separatedby gravity, preventing the separated residues from being drawn away bythe flowing water, and collecting from the top of the mass of the watermaterial floating thereon.

5. An improved process of purifying water or other liquids, whichconsistsin causing-acurrent of liquid to flow at a gradually decreasingvelocity through the mass of liquid to decant the impurities therefrom,and in preventing said impurities from being carried forward with theflowing liquid. i 6. An improved process of purifying water or otherliquids which consists in causing a current of liquid to flow 'at agradually decreasing velocity throughthe mass of liquid in a directionslightly up'-.

Wardly inclined from the horizontal, and in arresting by means'adaptedto prevent theirf-f-i further movement with the flowing liquid j beingdecanted the impuritieswhich are from sald current-- 7; An improvedprocess of .purifyi ig water or other liquids which consists in inducinga current to'flow through a" mass of the liquid at a graduallydecreasing velocity fromthe deep to the shallow end of a; series ofconnected compartments of'regularly'decreasing depth, and each providedwith a pocket for the collection and, removal of impurities decantedfrom th e liquid during its flow.

8. An improved process of purifying water or other liquids whichconsists in inducing a stream thereof to flow for some "distance througha mass of liquid, and in controlling said stream by means of orifices ofsuccessively greater dimensions in partitions in the vessel containingsaid mass of liquid to gradually retard the motion from one end to theother of the flowing stream 9. An improved process of purifying water orother liquids which-consists in inducing a stream thereof to flow forsome distance through a mass of the liquid, in

a substantially horizontal but upwardly 10. An improved process ofpurifying 30 Water or other liquids which consists inducing a streamthereof to .flow for some distance through a mass of 'the liquid, in

a substantially horizontal but upwardly tending direction, incontrolling said stream by means of orifices of successively greaterdimensions in partitions in the vessel containing said mass of liquid togradually retard the motion from one end to the other of the flowingstream, and in arresting at the lower surface of said. stream theimpurities decanted therefrom during the flow.

LUCIEN LINDEN.

Witnesses:

J o'sii P. WAGNER,

CHAS. RQY NASMITH.

